Would ice cream for Pie ala Mode insult the Pie Diva's sensibilities? I can skip it if you prefer. I just thought I'd share some Graeter's ice cream with my friends, but I'm not looking to put anyone out or upstage the star of the show.

Sounds like the Bubba Gump Pie Company!Seeing this list and understanding a little bit about your family and current situation, I had an inspiring thought!!!!Gazing into my Marketing Crystal Ball, I see a "Pie Diva - Pies on Wheels" FOOD TRUCK in your future!!! Take your future into your own hands! Google Baked Pie Food Truck and get a "taste" of what I mean. A number of them went from Trucks to B & M. Early Spring to Late Fall in Wisconsin and Winters in AZ. It's the same concept I helped The Lobster Lady with. She summers in Maine and Winters down here. http://www.mainelobsterlady.com/http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Maine-Lobster-Lady/331233693583113I know you're busy prepping smoke day, but let's talk next week! Talk the Pie Truck Idea over with the Contingent and get their opinions since some of them are in the food business.

Interesting thing about the pie list, you cannot get this Norske Nook Blueberry Pie at the Norske Nook.

Bobbi took the Norske Nook Raisin Pie recipe and is substituting dried blueberries for the raisins. It will be a Sour Cream Dried-Blueberry Pie. I just tasted the filling and it is fantastic, the sour cream has a blueberry flavor to it.

It's actually tough to get any kind of good pie at Norske Nook anymore. Since their corporate takeover things haven't been the same. Dad and I ate dinner there on route to the Twin Cities a few years ago. The food was seriously over salted and smacked of institutional mass production. We took a couple of pieces of pie to go, and ate them once we got to Minneapolis. The pie was okay, but didn't reach the near mythic levels we'd heard about.

I'm sure the Pie Diva's version will be superior in every way.

BTW, I deep-sixed the Graeter's Ice Cream in favor of guacamole (forgot the chips, hope someone is bringing) and cornbread sticks. And of course the Bucyrus brats. And buns for same.

Folks, the latest hourly weather forecast shows the thunderstorms taking a break for Smoke Day afternoon. I want to reassure Jim and Bobbi we will be there. And knowing that making great Q is a long, slow process, I'd like to give Jim and any helpers a special thank you for starting things in what probably wasn't ideal weather this early AM.

I spent 3 hours at the Target open interviews. I had 5 interviews.............by the way-got Hired! Those that know me know I have issues........sorry we missed the smoke day. But am able to say I was hired-regardless of my past....they kinda like me!!!!!!!!

After almost everyone left, two of Eric's friends arrived. One tried and succeeded in doing something that CTD, bb, & TTM combined could not do. He successfully sampled each of the pies in the Pie Parade.

After almost everyone left, two of Eric's friends arrived. One tried and succeeded in doing something that CTD, bb, & TTM combined could not do. He successfully sampled each of the pies in the Pie Parade.

Wait a second--are we talking full slices here or just a half a forkful per pie? Because if it's full slices I want to meet that boy and shake his hand, although not too vigorously lest he "return" some of that pie. If we're talking about just a forkful per pie, I'm not sure any of the big boys could limit themselves to that small amount, hence the task would be impossible.

Circumstances sure did conspire against us too.. ALthough I know the pies and food had to be amazing, even more so I miss not visiting with our wonderful friends, which are always MORE of a treat. Ann- CONGRATULATIONS! I am so happy for you! That is wonderful news! We will have to be sure and clear the calendar for the next event.

Congratulations. Amazing that you were hired despite your past as a sumo wrestler and muskrat trapper.

I sure was sweating, Mr. Hoffman!!LOL!

Speaking of sweating, you should have seen everyone after their first bites into to those habenero hot links from Ohio.

Thank you Michael for your contribution to Smoke Day. We had Brad Screamingchicken prepare them over charcoal on one of the Weber's. I think he did a masterful job of fully cooking them and achieving just the right amount of char on the casings. Special homage was paid by only allowing the one appropriate mustard on the brats, Bertman Original Ball Park Mustard, of course.

The Bucyrus brats were found to have a different flavor profile from typical Wisconsin brats. We think they were made from veal and had different spices than what we normal eat. Overall a very good sausage and a great addition to Smoke Day.

The brats from Carle's in Bucyrus are made from pork, and I know there's a different flavor profile. By the way, they also make a "hot" brat. I'm glad they were greeted with approval. And the Bertman's was a fine idea.

By the way, I usually simmer them in beer with onions before letting them hit the grill.

In the mad rush of Smoke Day, we didn't give them the proper beer and onion treatment. They went straight from the freezer pouch (defrosted of course) to the hot grill. The reason we (I) made the assumption about the veal, was because the flavor profile was very similar to the white brats--made with veal--you see in a lot of German/Swiss butcher shops around here. Appearance-wise they resembled the typical coarse grind of a Wisconsin brat (the white veal brats are a finer grind and more homogenous in color and texture). The spicing was very delicate compared to the more assertive Wisconsin brat. They were a nice addition to the Smoke Day menu.

Thank you Mr. Hoffman for sending them our way.

All in all it was another fantastic Pie fest/Smoke Day. JRPfeff put our his usual display of smoked meats. Brisket, pastrami, pulled pork, ribs, salmon, and the much unexpected burnt ends were crammed onto the cutting table. Over in the side dish tent were cole slaw, amazing baked beans (made using a recipe from Jack's Stack and spiked with a shot of Roadhouse "Southern Sunset" Bar-B-Que Sauce), corn bread sticks, a couple different versions of guacamole, and in a slight nod to healthy eating, some actual salad! I know there was more on the table, but my brain is overwhelmed trying to remember it all.

The Pie Diva worked her magic: she made a crowd of people, stuffed from eating too much Barbecue, hungry again for pie. Please, please, please don't make me try to list them here. There were 30+ pies, ranging from fruit to cream based. The best I can do is describe the first piece I had, S'mores Pie. A graham cracker crust held a rich, deeply flavored dark chocolate filling topped with a sweet sticky layer of marshmallow, browned creme brulee style. Who needs to go camping when you've got the Pie Diva putting it all together for you in one pie pan? I know I ate more pie, but it all became a blur after the S'mores. All I know is, I've got at least eight more pieces of pies sitting in my refrigerator waiting to be experienced.

After almost everyone left, two of Eric's friends arrived. One tried and succeeded in doing something that CTD, bb, & TTM combined could not do. He successfully sampled each of the pies in the Pie Parade.

Wait a second--are we talking full slices here or just a half a forkful per pie? Because if it's full slices I want to meet that boy and shake his hand, although not too vigorously lest he "return" some of that pie. If we're talking about just a forkful per pie, I'm not sure any of the big boys could limit themselves to that small amount, hence the task would be impossible.

I think we need some clarification here.

Buddy

Jeff,

They were more than bites. We guesstimate each of the slices was about 1/32 of a pie.

Fairly impressive. I couldn't (wouldn't) do it. But I'd put money on buffetbuster or ChiTownDiner to beat that number. Of course, being of advanced age, such as they are, and not some kid in his 20s, they might regret it afterward.